Fred Vasseur on qualifying result: “We’re frustrated, but Ferrari’s race pace in Canada is encouraging”. Ferrari team boss Frédéric Vasseur admits frustration after Canadian GP qualifying.

Another qualifying session with a bitter taste. And, in some ways, that’s a positive sign. Ferrari didn’t go beyond fifth and eighth place in qualifying for the Canadian GP, but the disappointment stems from the awareness that there was potential to fight for the front row and possibly even for pole with Charles Leclerc.

The Monegasque, during his decisive Q3 lap, encountered the Racing Bulls of Isack Hadjar interfering in the second sector, after having set the fastest time in the first. At that point, Charles Leclerc lost the rear of his SF-25 and had to abort the lap.

Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, managed to complete his lap, but could do no better than fifth behind the two Mercedes, the Red Bull of Max Verstappen, and the McLaren of championship leader Oscar Piastri.

At the end of qualifying at the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal, Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur spoke to Sky Sport F1 to comment on his team’s performance in the session.

Was it disappointing to see Charles Leclerc’s mistake on the decisive lap? Where could he have finished with that lap?
“There’s frustration, because up to Turn 6 he was one tenth faster than Russell, and to end up eighth is a shame. I think he was distracted by the car in front because of the slipstream and also lost concentration. But that’s how it went. We need to focus on the positives from the session. We started on new tyres and did well. We responded well after Friday and we were in the fight for pole. Lewis finished fifth and had a good session.”

What can we expect from Ferrari in tomorrow’s race?
“You can overtake in Montreal, and our long-run pace is strong. The pace Charles showed this morning in FP3 was very strong and Lewis was also going well. We have to push to fight back.”